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Burnham writes to BBC over lack of coverage for NHS march and rally
There was a large march and rally in defence of the NHS in Manchester yesterday – yet the BBC’s coverage largely glossed over it, only including it in coverage of Tory conference. Andy Burnham, who was one of the speakers at yesterday’s rally, has written to Lord Patten at the BBC to ask why the BBC neglected to cover the event, when other...

Youth Unemployment in Cheshire East
One million young people are now unemployed. Long-term unemployment for Young People has risen by 80% since 2000. This is a tragedy - it will limit the potential of a whole generation. Young people need more apprenticeships, more vocational training and the restoration of the Education Maintenance Allowance to encourage those from poorer families to stay in education longer in order to prepare them for appropriate jobs.
In...

George Osborne loses his Triple-A
By Tom Watson
At the last election, George Osborne told voters he’d secure the recovery, cut the deficit and protect Britain’s Triple-A credit rating. He wasn’t telling the truth: The economy has flatlined, the deficit is going up, and Britain’s credit rating has now been downgraded. The Tories’ response to the downgrade? Pretend everything is still going right. George Osborne reminds me of the knight in the Monty...

One of our members, Simon Bishop, was one of the 500 people who attended what was the first Local Government Conference in nine years, though it looks like there will be another soon. Whilst key senior MPs were there, including Ed Miliband, Harriett Harman, Hilary Benn, Jack Dromey, it was very much led by members and councillors.
The key messages from the conference were:
The blame for the cuts must be put on Government....

Burnham: “Jeremy Hunt has just crossed a line and set a dangerous precedent”
JANUARY 31, 2013 1:38 PM
After it was announced that successful Lewisham Hospital is having its A&E downgraded by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Andy Burnham said:
“There will be no cheers for this statement in Lewisham. This Tory-led Government has accepted the principle that a successful local hospital can have its services downgraded to pay for the failures of another trust. Jeremy Hunt has...

Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP's speech to rally in Hyde Park today
20 October 2012
Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP's speech to rally in Hyde Park
Thank you.
I am here to join with people from all walks of life.
From all parts of our country.
Think about the faces in this crowd.
Young people looking for work.
Like Ashley Parsons from Wolverhampton who you saw on the film.
Let us say we stand with all the young people...

Crisis of confidence in the Government's NHS reorganisation gets deeper by the day - Burnham
Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has written to the Secretary of State for Health following reports in today’s Observer of comments made by NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson. Nicholson warned a meeting of leading GPs earlier this month that Government plans could end in ‘misery and failure’. The NHS leader also cautioned against ‘carpet-bombing’ the NHS with forced competition...

Hunt challenged on health insurance plans
5 September 2012
Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, has today written to Jeremy Hunt, the new Secretary of State for Health, challenging him to confirm whether he still wishes to replace the NHS with an insurance system.
The publication, ‘Direct Democracy: An Agenda for a New Model Party’, co-authored by Jeremy Hunt sets out plans to “breakdown the barriers between private and public provision, in...

Shocking new findings from Shelter show why Labour is calling for action to tackle unscrupulous lettings agents - Dromey
4 September 2012
Jack Dromey MP, Labour’s Shadow Housing Minister, responding to new research by Shelter which shows one in four Britons are ripped off by letting agents, said:
“These shocking new findings show why Labour is calling for action to tackle unscrupulous lettings agents who rip-off tenants by charging them fees they didn’t know...

Osborne is borrowing billions more to pay for economic failure
Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, responding to today’s public sector finance figures, said:
“This is a damning indictment of a Chancellor who promised to secure the recovery and get the deficit down. His failed plan has delivered the exact opposite - a double dip recession which is leading to soaring borrowing. What more evidence does the Government need that...